Catenary rooflike construction and method of forming it



Nov. 26, 1946.-y w. D. DARBY 2,411,651

CATENARY ROOFLIKE CONSTRUCTION AND METHOD OF FORMING IT Filed Jan. 24, 1942 `1 2 Sheets-Sheet l y Y f: ATTORNEYS.

.,Nov. 26, 1946.

w. D. DARBY 2,411,651 f G ATENARY ROOFLIKE CONSTRUCTION ND METHOD FORMING IT Filed Jan. 24. 1942 2 sheets-sheet 2 Y INVE'TOR WML/,qm O. @Heey ATTORNEYS between spaced suspensors; methodofconstruction to meet .these vrequire- 'ments which will simplify, cheapen and make wall.

Y pended below Vone of Patented Nov. 26, 1946 i' '4 CATENARY S PATENT oFFlCE METHOD or Four/[ING rr William D. Darby, West Allis, wis. v applicati-wn January 24, 1942, serial No. 428,046 (c1. 10s- 1) 9 Claims.

",My invention relates to improvements in catenary roof-,like constructions and methods of forming them.

My construction andmethod may be used for 4other building elements, but are principally useful inbuilding roofs, and the description below will be'directed particularly to roofs.

'I'he object of my invention is to provide a .roof which may be supported entirely fromv side walls, and without requirement for central supports; to yprovide a roof .which will absorb shock and willnot collapse. :under bomb attack; to provide a roof-like structure in catenary suspension and to yprovide a more satisfactory aroof-like area.

Y In the drawings:

Fig. 1 Lis a verticalsection through my new catenary roof and showing it suspended between side Wallsr supported upon footings in .accord with Y my invention. Y p A Fig. 2 is a detailed vertical section of la portion Fig. 3 vis la, perspective 4of.aninclividual form used of my roof in :course of construction with my special forms in place'and .showing catenary cableY ing or various spaced supports in many other construction elements from portions of which cables in a catenary array may extend for the purposes of my invention. Iterm them all suspensors since the -cables are in` catenary suspension between them. Furthermore, in the following description I use the term array to refer to an arrangement of cables in catenary suspension between suspensors, the cables being in such relation that a sheet of concrete or other construction material laid :as a roof or floor will include the cables Within ,the thickness of the sheet.

Applying the above Lterms to the drawings, it willr be seen that 'I have provided spaced suspensors I0 in Fig. 1 comprising walls I I and footings I2 in L-shape to sustain the stresses of .cables I3 of my catenary roof I4. The permanent structural elements of the roofincluding the :array of cables I3, any suitable reenforcing means such as rods I6, and cementitious material I1 form the continuous slab-like roof or fl-oor element of my invention. v

The many catenary cables I3 extending between suspensors I0 are secured by any suitable means, butvI have provided continuous-apertured plates vI 8 bearing upon the outside face of the top of each sus-pen-sor and each ,cable .spliced in the laying of concrete for my catenary roof. .n

Fig. 4 is avertical section'through contiguous portions of two forms Ilocked in position and susmy Vcatenary cables.

Fig..5 isa plan .view of an alternative form Aof my catenary roof as required for a .circularbuilding or other structure 4or curved end for a building or other structure. Y e

Fig. 6 is a section on line 6--6of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a section on line 'I-T of Fig. 5.'

l .Like parts are designated by the same referu ence characters throughout the several views.

My .invention is `ofprimary importance v'in structures where central-or interm-ed-iately-spacedcolfumns or supporting'pillars or arches are detrimental to the uses to which the structure is to be put, and where even the use of supporting structures during the .construction periodis undesirable or expensive.- My catenary-roof is subject to my construction method in Whicheven during `the period of construction there is no need for the building of soaffolds -or temporary columns,4 pillars, arches, or trusses.

. Inv the following description I have chosen the 'word suspensorto designate the supporting structure for my -catenaryroof Suchza supporting structure may'be'the sidewalls ofthe build- I3 has an eye I9 in the end thereof for insertion through one` of the apertures in the plate I3 to receive an anchor pin 20. The pin bearing upon the margins of Vthe aperture prevents the release of the cable, and Various cables in the array are of identical length and tensile strength.

The array of catenary cables I3 having `been suspended between the suspensors I0, all of the construction work'to complete my roof is carried out with the array of cables as the working support] During the laying of concrete or other cementitious or moldable ,material to .complete the roof areal light planking maybe Ilaid on 'the array for runways for workmen.

I provide surfaces for they support of the c'on-v crete inthe form of platforms 25 made up of a suitable framework 26 overlaid by a sheet of plywood Z'I or other suitable concrete form material. Along the margins of each platform 25 I provide holes 28;l andas adjacent platforms 25 are brought into position beneath the catenary cables I3, I wire the platforms together and wire them in position below the catenary cables as shown most clearly in Fig. 4 where it will be seen n that the wireA 29Y inserted through the holes 28 extends Yabout the adjacent frame members o the adjacent platforms v toV bind them, together and the same length 'of Wire is of sufcient'length' to extend about one of the cables I3 to position the platforms approximately an inch and onehalf below the cable. Successive platforms 25 are secured together and hung from the cables I3 so that the forms for the entire catenary area are supported from the cables in readiness for the pouring of the roof sheet 30 of concrete.

Any form of reenforcement may be laid upon the catenary cablesv I3 or beneath them, and the concrete is thenfpoured to any suitable depth, but I have found that about a three inch thick ness of concrete of good quality makes a most acceptable catenary roof.

When the concrete has set `and is sufficiently cured, the wires 2B may be clipped to release the platforms 25, and it will be found that my catenary roof thus constituted has superior qualities of stability and permanency.

Waterproof characteristics are hard-lf;7 to be expected of any known terms of concrete or other cementitious or moldable material, and I, therefore, 'provide the usual' flashings '31 and vrooiing feit 32' 'to cover .the concrete or molded' vslab of my catenary roof.

Where buildings' or other structures have curved or circular en'dsie'il or'where buildings or i other structures are circular in their general ccn'guration as indicated 4in Figs. 5, 6,l and '7, ne walls thereof provide suspensors lil, and provide central catenary plate, 42 which is laminated .as `shown in Fig. '7 'to provide upper lamination 43 andv lower lamination t@ between whichan anchor 'bolt 4'5 is extended 'so as yto pass through 'an eye of catenary vcable i3 thus completing a. 4cat'enary-dished roof "55 .following the practices of ,my invention. Obviously, lthe platformfforms such as those shown at 25 in Fig. '3' must `be 'shaped to conform to the reduire- `ments of the curves. of the ,catenaryl `array of cables, butin all other respects the ,principles of my invention as shown in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, are followed in the construction of the roof for a circular building. Centrally of the lbuilding a conductor pipe 'i6 for rainwater maybe included.

Thus, it lwill "be seen that I' have provided `a floor or'roof construction in slab form without the use of `staging or supporting elements other than the suspensors which may form the perrna nent walls of the building yand that the entire construction operation is carried on `through the use of catenary cables.

I claim: Y

l. Acatenary area construction including peripheral catenary supports, a `central catenary plate, flexible catenaryvmembers extending be tween. the plate and' said peripheral support whereby to constitute an array' 'of catenary memfbers, yand cementitious material formed upon and about saidA catenary members whereby to form a continuous rigid surface said' surface, plate, land members being substantially wholly suspended; at the endsI or" said membersv from said' supports.

2. The process of forming a roof-like construction in building operations, said process including the erection of spaced catenary supports, suspension of a plurality of iiexible catenary tension members throughout the area and preserving the catenary curve of each flexible member adjacent one another in roof-like congura- 4 tion, supporting forms from said .tension members; and pouring thereon .cernentitious sub- 'stance whereby to encase 'the catenary members and form a rigid roof-like structure in true catenary curve.

3. The processlof forming a. continuous, rigid, v

catenary curved slab in building construction, said process including the placement of catenary supports, suspension of an array of flexible catenary members between said supports, placing beneath said array a plurality of forms in contiguity and connecting said forms suspensarily to said catenary members whereby to preserve the catenary curve, and depositing cementitious substance on the forms in suliicient quantity to embed said catenary members, and permitting the cementitious substance to harden thereabout in a curved form, wherein said catenary members are maintained in catenary curvature and tension.

4. In a building structure, the combination with supporting walls, of a roof entirely free of support between said walls and comprising a series of tension elements connected at their respective ends to said walls and in catenary suspension therebetween, the several elements being surhciently flexible to assume a, catenary curve under their weight and the weight of any uni.- formly applied load imposed thereon, and having an embedding sheet in which a number of such elements are embedded, said sheet comprising a cementitious substance molded upon said elements while soft, said sheet being rigidifed in setting, whereby to fix said elements in their normal catenary curves.

5. The structure of claim 4, in whichsaid walls have integral noor sections extending toward each other beneath said tension elements sufciently to hold said walls upright, said ii'o'or sections being spaced from each other. t Y

6, A building construction comprising heavy door sections spaced at opposite .sides of the building, supporting walls integrally connected with said iioor sections at points remote from .the inner margins of said floor sections whereby said walls are braced against tilting movement toward each other, a plurality of initially flexible tension elements connected with said walls. and suspended in catenary curves substantially unsupported between said walls, and a cementitious sheet in which the several elements are embedded and whereby they are rigidied in their natural catenary curve assumed while flexible and prior to their xation by said sheet.

7. The process of` building a roo-f which lcomprises supporting flexible reenforcing elements at their ends while allowing such elements freely to assume natural catenary curves between the points of support, embedding rthe flexible reenforcing elements in a cementitious roofing substance while said substance is soft and'supporting the weight of the cem-entitious substance on the reenforcing elements prior to the setting of such substance, wherebyA the reenf'orcing elements may automaticallyachieve their respective catenary curves accordi-ng to the disposition ,ofjsuch weight thereon, and allowing the cementitious substance to set, about the reenforcing elements andsubstantially' continuouslyV therebetween, whereby to Yconstitute a roof wherein said elements are fixed in a natural catenary coniiguration yfreely assumed by the respective elements asfloaded.

.8. In a building, structure, the combination with exterior vertical supporting walls apertured near their upper margins and provided with metal plates bearing against the outer` surfaces of Vsaid walls and provided with aperturesV registering with those in the walls,.cablelike 'tension members spanning `the space between said vwalls and extendingV through said. ap'ertured plates,` anchoring devices engaged with said tensioning members and bearing against said plates, and a rigid cementitious roof in which the tension members are embedded and having marginal contact with said vertical walls, said tension members being xed by the embedding cementitious roof in their natural catenary curves under the load of said roof.

9. In a circular building structure having Vertical walls and cable-like tension members anchored to said Walls and converging in catenary curves to the central portion of said structure, a metal plate connecting the convergent inner ends of said tension members across the central Vertical axis of the building structure, and a rigid cementitious roof in which said tension members are embedded in mutually reenforcing relation, the outer margins of said rigid roof being supported by said vertical Walls and the extended ends of the tension members anchored thereto.

WILLIAM D. DARBY. 

